Thousands without power in Buenos Aires after storm

Municipal workers take part in an operation to clean fallen trees on April 8, 2012 in Moron municipality, Buenos Aires, after a storm. Thousands of people were still in the dark Sunday days after a major storm killed 17 people and knocked out electric service in many areas of Buenos Aires, authorities said. AFP PHOTO / NA

BUENOS AIRES—Thousands of people were still in the dark Sunday days after a major storm killed 17 people and knocked out electric service in many areas of Buenos Aires, authorities said.

The storm hit late Wednesday and flooded many neighborhoods in outlying areas of the capital city, toppling power lines and trees and damaging buildings.

“In many cases, the power distribution network has to be rebuilt from scratch,” said Eduardo Mirabelli, spokesman for the private power company Edenor which supplies 2.3 million clients.

In one hard hit town alone, Ituzaingo, just west of the capital, at least 4,000 power lines were blasted off their footing and power lines were downed mostly under trees, Mirabelli said.

“The damage really has outstripped our response capacity,” he said, adding that the company had 45 trucks out repairing the network.

More than 50,000 people in Merlo had no power or drinking water on Sunday due to the storm, local official Lucas Ghi said.

Buenos Aires provincial governor Daniel Scioli said the wind, rain and hailstorm had been devastating for his district.

President Cristina Kirchner also ordered army troops to help with cleanup and recovery efforts.